01 Mar 2021  |   05:23am IST

Set priorities right in beautification of capital city, suburb

If the administration was really concerned about its citizens it would repair something as basic as footpaths before planning gardens
Set priorities right in beautification of capital city, suburb

Citizen Stephen Dias Dona Paula

The Goa State Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (GSIDC) is making a garden on Miramar Beach. Yes, take a moment to absorb that. Of all the places, a garden should be planned, would you think a beach was the right place? Last, I saw the garden is coming up for senior citizens and RCC with granite bench is almost ready. How are such plans approved without prior intimation of stake holders? 

This garden comes in the name of senior citizen but finally only migrants will sit there, take it from me. If the administration was really concerned about its citizens it would repair something as basic as footpaths before planning gardens. But of course repairing footpaths may not allow as much money to be diverted. Consider the footpath from Dona Paula via Miramar to Panjim. It is completely messed up. 

People, especially senior citizens, have difficulties as they do not have proper and clear path to walk. There are ups and downs, no tiles, no proper level, trees on the way, buffalos and cows walking on the 'footpath' (usually guided with a person on scooter with them), gutters in dilapidated condition, chambers always open, and many places no gutters at all, leaves from big trees fallen everywhere despite sweepers who seem to be continuously removing them. 

Everything looks so shabby, forget being actually comfortable for pedestrians to walk. The haphazard work being done here and there is the worst! There's always some work in progress 24x7, never ending because it's usually left half done, orders are to spend funds received from Centre and the State is keen to finish it by starting random work. No doubt we need development but at what cost when the pedestrians walk are forever interrupted. 

There seems to be no advanced planning and no timing for the workers to take up the work, especially when monsoon is close by. The administration should first take up work or projects which are important and provide basic necessities. Not make gardens everywhere for recreation, play or sit out,  etc just to finish the funds received, ignoring important needs like footpaths to walk — whether for senior citizens or others — and roads which are left to die, like the inner Caranzalem road.  

The Miramar Beach stretch is getting narrow day by day, with samadhis in wrong areas and time will come we will have no beach left  for us to use. Lights also are another headache they are permanently flickering or not working and always under repairs. Roads of course are an even bigger headache, potholes everywhere, vehicles and two-wheeler riders zooming at high speed and swerving to avoid the potholes and other obstructions.

Speaking of bad planning... the giant white elephant near Sharada Mandir appears to be permanently staying there until it becomes dangerous and falls down.  Maybe they can allocate some of those garden funds to tackle the menace of pollution fumes and smoke emanating from exhaust pipes from our old buses as they have no pollution certificate. 

Not all our citizens will be able to benefit from relaxing in the garden air. But all will benefit if polluting vehicles are reduced! 

Police are helpless watching them. They can only issue challans for helmets and now face masks and harass students and tourists. They brag about so many challans issued and so much income received for the government which gives chances for promotion. This reminds me of the attitude commonly attributed to Marie Antoinette who, when told that the peasants had no bread, replied: "Then let them eat cake".


IDhar UDHAR

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